Mystery over 120-year-old shipwreck off UK coast may finally be SOLVED thanks to tiny ceramic fragment found among ruins
THE mystery surrounding a 120-year-old shipwreck off UK shores may finally by solved thanks to one tiny ceramic fragment.
The Pin Wreck has sat on the Dorset sea bed for over a century and stumped maritime archaeologists since 1990.
It was discovered off the coast of St Albans Head, and was named after hundreds of metal bolts which were found scattered around it.
Mystery shrouded the rotting wooden 24meters long wreck for years as it sat around 27meters below.
But, a team from Bournemouth University (BU) have now managed to identify the ship’s rich history.
It was an Admiralty mooring lighter, built in 1866, and is thought to have been used in the salvage operation of HMS Eurydice off the Isle of Wight in 1878.
Mooring lighters were towed vessels containing mechanical devices for moving heavy loads and were used for laying moorings and in salvage work.
The astonishing discovery came after maritime archaeologists uncovered a unique ceramic fragment.
It was attached to pulley block with the words “Portsmouth Dockyard”.
This led the team to Hampshire port records, and 120-year-old questions were finally answered.
A university spokesman said: “Research in the national archives uncovered plans of two identical lighters from Portsmouth dockyard, named YC 5 and YC8.
“These were the only vessels whose precise details matched that of the wreck, but there was no record of their loss.
“They then found a crucial piece of the puzzle in a copy of the Shipping Gazette from September 11th 1903.
“This reported the sinking of a mooring lighter off St Albans Head in rough weather whilst on tow from Portsmouth to Portland.
“Thirty men had to transfer from the lighter to its tug before it sank.”
The spokesman said the team had since confirmed the wreck as being that of YC8, adding: “The BU team have now applied for the wreck to be designated as a protected site.”
Dave Parham, professor of maritime archaeology at BU, who led the investigation, said: “This is a rare example of a type of service vessel which was essential for maintaining the operations of Britain’s ports in the nineteenth century, so it is vital that we preserve it.
Six of the world's deadliest shipwrecks
SS Eastland – July 24, 1915
One of the worst maritime disasters in U.S. history occurred when the SS Eastland capsized on the Chicago River – of the estimated 2,500 people on board at the time, more than 800 were killed.
SS Kiangya – December 4, 1948
Th SS Kiangya was officially carrying 2,150 refugees – almost double its official capacity – when it exploded at the mouth of the Huangpu River, killing up to 4,000 people.
SS Sultana – April 27, 1865
The deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history occurred when the side-wheel steamship SS Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River.
Cost cutting led to a leaky boiler and more than six times the number of recommended passengers on board.
The boiler ruptured and hundreds were killed in the initial explosion, with more trapped when the overloaded decks collapsed killing 1,800 people.
RMS Lusitania – May 7 1915
The RMS Lusitania was attacked by a German U-boat and sank in just 18 minutes killing 1,198 passengers.
MV Doña Paz – December 20, 1987
The passenger ferry MV Doña Paz hit an oil tanker, the MT Vector about 110 miles south of Manila. The collision ignited the 8,800 barrels of oil and gasoline on the Vector, and just 26 of more than 4,400 passengers and crew on both ships were saved.
MV Wihelm Gustloff – January 30, 1945
The MV Wilhelm Gustloff was the pride of the Nazi Kraft durch Freude (“Strength Through Joy”) program.
It was built with a capacity of 1,900 people but was carrying an estimated 10,000.
Three torpedoes fired by a Soviet submarine hit the vessel and it sank in the Baltic sea in just over an hour.
It is estimated 9,000 lives were lost, making it history’s deadliest shipwreck.
“Its identity has remained a mystery for three decades but what we observed on our dive meant we could find the clues that could reveal the secrets of the wreck and understand how it ended up on the seabed.”
He added: “The materials the vessel is made from suggest a high-quality build, possibly linked to a royal dockyard.
“The fact it appears to have been lost in service and was carrying substantial haulage equipment means it could offer valuable insight into the role these craft played in our maritime history.”
This comes as never-seen-before eerie footage of a 17th century shipwreck that went down ferrying the future King of England has been released.
The bottom and hull of the ship is buried in sand but divers could spot the anchor, rope and cannon, which sat untouched for nearly 350-years.
Located off the Norfolk coast, the Gloucester wreck was discovered and filmed by expert divers, brothers Julian and Lincoln Barnwell.
Meanwhile, the tale of the world’s first cruise ship includes a string of horror tragedies which saw the sea “claim its prettiest prize”.
Modern day cruise liners owe much of their existence to the SS Prinzessin Victoria Luise, a German ship of the Hamburg-America Line which set sail in 1900.
Eerie photographs reveal its glamorous interior with lavish artwork, furniture and elegant fittings.
Unfortunately the SS Prinzessin fell victim to the sea on December 16 1906 in Kingston, Jamaica after only six years of service.
Captain H. Brunswig veered towards the wrong lighthouse while trying to navigate a tricky harbour and smashed into shallow rocks at around 9.30pm.
The captain’s charts were also incorrect as a volcanic eruption had recently altered the seabed.
Travelling as 14 knots, the ship’s bow suffered significant damage and despite their best efforts, rescue teams could not free the liner.
Passengers had to remain on board until the next day, but none were injured.
Tragically the Captain H. Brunswig fatally shot himself in his cabin.